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Vatican
View: Q & A

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A.
"The Pope is, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Christ on
earth, and the visible Head of the Church. He is the successor of
St. Peter and the supreme ruler of all Christians. He is the
supreme judge in all matters of faith and morals, in pronouncing
upon which he may exercise infallibility." His office is
called the pontificate (or papacy). As possessor of the keys to
the kingdom of heaven and gifted with infallibility, the Pope keeps the doctrine of the faith pure and acts as the center of
unity in the Church. His office is a royal one, as represented by
the triple tiara traditionally worn by the popes.

A. The
term pope derives from the Greek "pappas" (father).
Originally, this title was applied to bishops, but it later became
common to reserve the title exclusively to the Bishop of Rome, the
Supreme Pontiff.

A.
The Catholic Church has a Pope because the papacy was instituted
by our Lord Jesus Christ (see Mt. 16:18, Jn. 21:15-17). The Pope
is the visible head of the Church and has supreme authority
to preserve doctrine, to teach, and to sanctify. The Pope protects
dogma and keeps us united in faith. If not for the papal
infallibility, there would be no certainty in matters of faith; we
would have no means of knowing what is true and what is not. We
could have no finality of doctrine and each person would be left
to believe whatever he or she "felt" was right. As a
result, there would be error, disunity, rejection of truths,
adoption of errors, etc. We wouldn't even have a Bible since there
would be no infallible authority to determine the canon of
Scripture. We could never be sure that our beliefs corresponded
with truth, and we could never be sure we were on a true path
leading to salvation. Furthermore, without the Pope, there would
be no preserver of doctrine, no center of unity, and no supreme authority
visible on earth. The Church was literally founded by our Lord on
the "rock" of St. Peter, and without this foundation,
the entire structure would fall.

A.
In addition to filial submission and obedience, Catholics are
bound to support the Pope with our prayers and also with financial
contributions as appropriate (e.g. Peter's Pence). It is good to
remember that the fervent prayers of the Church were being offered
for St. Peter, the first Pope, while he was bound in chains before his subsequent rescue
by an angel (see Acts 12). The papacy can be a great burden to the
Pope and we should support him daily with our prayers. (Note: Try
here for prayers for the pope.)

A.
The papacy is indestructible / perpetual and will last until the
end of time. As Our Lord has said, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against
[his Church]" (cf. Mt. 16:18). Note: For 'The Papacy is
Indestructible / Perpetual' Reflections, click
here.

A.
No. The Pope's authority comes directly from Christ. It does not
come from the Church. As stated in Auctorem Fidei, "[I]t
is heretical to propose that the Roman Pontiff is ministerial
head, if this is explained to mean that the Roman Pontiff
received, not from Christ in the person of St. Peter, but from the
Church" (Pope Pius VI)

A.
The Pope's authority in the Church is supreme and universal. That does not mean,
however, that his authority has no limit. There are certain things
a Pope may not do (e.g. create new doctrine, abrogate the Divine
Law, eliminate Sacraments, etc.).

A. Bishops
and priests have no authority to create new doctrines and have no
right to go against perennial Church teaching. In certain appropriate,
non-dogmatic matters not touching on faith or morals (e.g. certain
discretionary measures, certain matters of judgment*, certain
political issues, etc.), however, it may be admissible for a
bishop or priest not to be in full agreement with the Pope,
providing they properly recognize the Pope's supreme authority in
the Church. If a bishop wrongly disagrees with the Pope in
important matters, it may warrant pursuing a resolution using
the proper Church proceedings. Note that the Pope does have
the authority to depose a heretical bishop. [*Note: Artificial contraception
and abortion are not "matters of judgment" that
may be disagreed with. Bishops & priests must teach that
artificial contraception and abortion are grave sins.]

A. No.
The Pope's authority in the Church is supreme. Although councils
may enjoy infallibility in certain matters, they may do so only
when in union with the Pope. As taught by the First Vatican
Council: "[T]hey stray from the straight path of truth who
affirm that it is permitted to appeal from the judgments of the
Roman Pontiffs to an ecumenical Council, as to an authority higher
than the Roman Pontiff." Those who argue from Scripture that
Christ bestowed similar powers to the other apostles as He gave to
St. Peter ignore the fact that St. Peter alone was given the the keys, which indicates supreme authority.
Nowhere in Scripture are the keys attributed to the other
apostles. Note: For more information on papal primacy /
supremacy, click
here.

A. No.
St. Peter was given supremacy by Christ Himself. After Our Lord
called St. Paul, he did not go out on his own, but respected the
authority of St. Peter and "went up to Jerusalem to confer
with Kephas [Peter] and remained with him for fifteen days"
(Gal 1:18). Note that some point to certain terminology which
seems to indicate a "shared or divided episcopate"
between St. Peter and St. Paul, but this may more aptly refer to
their "shared teaching" - it does not mean that they
had equal authority. At no time in history was it held by the
Church that St. Peter and St. Paul shared the papacy or had equal
authority in the universal Church. Rather, St. Peter's supremacy
has always been recognized in the Church.

A. Cardinals,
bishops and priests look to the Pope as their superior. The Pope has supreme authority in the Church, even allowing him to depose
heretical prelates. The power of the bishops is inferior to that
of the Pope ("one's head can not be
equal to one's body or indistinguishable from it") and Bishops are
to obey the higher authority of Pope. The Popes usually respect
the autonomy of the Bishops and intervene only in certain
matters.

A.
The Pope is the visible head of the Church on earth. He is the
vicar of Christ and supreme pastor. He rules and governs both the
faithful and their pastors. He pronounces on matters of faith and
morals, legislates for the Church, creates/modifies dioceses, confirms
the election of bishops, canonizes saints, absolves from certain
sins, administers Church property, renders judicial decisions, and
conducts other important Church matters. He may delegate some of
his responsibilities to others, but his infallibility is not transferable.
Note: For "Papal Duties / Concerns" reflections, click
here.

A.
The Pope is not a creator of doctrine, but its guardian. He is
rather like a steward or a trustee who is charged with preserving
and interpreting Divine Revelation. Although he may make
more explicit what is already contained in the deposit of faith
(e.g. the Immaculate Conception of Mary), he may not create
entirely new doctrines. As stated by the First Vatican
Council, "The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successor
of Peter that by the revelation of the Holy Spirit they might
disclose new doctrine, but that by His help they might guard
sacredly the revelation transmitted through the Apostles and the
deposit of faith, and might faithfully set it forth."

A.
A Pope may abrogate a previous Pope's decision on applicable
non-dogmatic matters since he has the same authority the previous Pope
had. On infallible matters, a Pope may not abrogate a
previous Pope's decisions.

A.
Infallible Papal teachings never become obsolete. Other Papal
teachings concerning faith and morals which have been constantly
held in the Church do not become obsolete. Some non-dogmatic
items, perhaps, could become obsolete (e.g. if revoked by a
successor, if circumstances surrounding the item have
changed, etc.). It would be up to the Church to determine which,
if any, items become obsolete. [Note: Teachings don't
become obsolete simply because some (or many) people don't like
them. For instance, the teaching that artificial contraception is
a grave sin is a truth which can never become obsolete.]

A.
A Pope may not change doctrine to please the masses no more than a
mathematician may change 2+2=4 to 2+2=5 to please his public. As
condemned in the Syllabus of Errors: "The Roman Pontiff can,
and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress,
liberalism and modern civilization." Other popes have consistently
condemned Modernism, even calling it the
"synthesis of all heresies". Our Lord does not change
and, since the pope is Christ's Vicar on earth, he may not change policies
or teachings to suit the vain desires of this world.
Remember that the pope does not "own" Church doctrines,
but passes on what has been divinely revealed. Really, there would
be no point to having a Pope if he could simply change doctrines
to suit the tastes of the world. Truth is truth - and it is
unchangeable.

A.
The Church is not a democracy. Instead, it is headed by the Pope
who is responsible for passing on and protecting doctrine without
alteration. The pope cannot change doctrine to please people since
the doctrines are not matters of debate, but revealed truths.
Truth is not subject to change, even if it is unpopular.

A.
It would be wrong to disagree with the perennial teaching of the
Popes in matters of faith and morals. We are not required,
however, to agree with every decision of every Pope (e.g. prudential
judgments, those involving disciplinary matters, etc.). It would be wrong,
however, to dispute the a Pope's right to make decisions in the
Church or to
fail to properly honor his supreme authority. Also,
if a Pope were to sin or not to live up to the teachings of the
Church, it would be necessary to respectfully disapprove (as did
St. Paul concerning St. Peter, cf. Gal. 2:11). Note: Click here
for "Obedience / Disobedience / Assent" Reflections.

A. The
'syllabuses' condemning modern errors are the "Syllabus
Errorum" (The Syllabus of Errors Condemned By Pope Pius IX) (click
here) and Pope St. Pius X's "Lamentabili
Sane" (Syllabus Condemning The Errors Of The Modernists) (click
here). When one refers to the "Syllabus", it
probably means the one issued by Bl. Pope Pius IX. The one issued
by Pope St. Pius X is usually "Lamentabili Sane".

A.
Infallibility refers to the divine gift which protects the Pope against
formally promulgating error in matters of faith or
morals. The Pope enjoys infallibility in certain matters and
under certain conditions. For more information, click here.

A.
Freedom from sin and freedom from formally teaching error are two separate
things. A Pope may, unfortunately, be a very bad sinner,
but that doesn't mean his teaching is therefore corrupt. In fact,
there were some very sinful popes in the Church's history, but
none of them ever formally taught error. For more information,
click here.

A. Scripture
clearly shows that Peter "had all the right answers" (e.g.
Mt. 16:16, Mt. 17:26, Lk. 7:43, Acts 1:15-22, 2:14-36, 2:38-9,
15:7-11).
That didn't stop him, however, from also having weaknesses. When
he denied Our Lord, he wasn't formally teaching against our Lord,
he was instead fearful and weak. When he was rebuked by St. Paul,
he was erring in "pastoral practice", not matters of
faith or morals. He had taught correctly, but was not living up to
his teachings.

A.
Yes, the Popes have always enjoyed infallibility, as this is
necessary to the Church's mission (click here
for more information). Although the doctrine of infallibility was not
formally defined until 1870,
it was always a part of the deposit of faith. For example,
when Pope St. Agatho said "The Roman See has never erred, and
never will err, because of Christ's promise" in 680 A.D. he
recognized the doctrine of infallibility, even though the formal
definition would not be issued for more than a millennium.

A.
St. Peter, originally called Simon, was one of the earliest
followers of Jesus. Upon seeing Simon, Jesus renamed him
"Peter" (see Jn. 1:42), which means "rock".
The name change was significant, since St. Peter would become the
"rock" upon which Jesus would build his Church, the
first Pope (see Mt. 16:18).

A.
The Papacy began when Our Lord made St. Peter the first pope.
Christ promised the papacy to St. Peter in Mt.
16:18 and after His Resurrection confirmed St. Peter as the
Supreme Pastor of His flock (see Jn. 21:15-17). St. Peter immediately exercised his Papal office on
Pentecost after receiving the Holy Spirit. Note that the terms papacy
and pope - along with the term 'Holy Trinity' - did not exist in
Scripture, but the reality behind the terms clearly did.

A.
Yes, since St. Peter, there has always been a pope. The unbroken
line of succession since St. Peter has continued for about two millennia.
For a list of popes, click here. [Note: There is necessarily a period of
'sede vacante' (vacant seat) after the death / abdication / deposition of each pope.]

A.
No. Not all popes are saints
and, unfortunately, not all popes have acted in a saintly manner. There
are, however, many canonized and beatified popes (click
here). Note: To be formally declared a saint, a
canonization process is required (see Saints
Section)

A.
No. This is believed to be "at first a satire, but later
accepted as true." The story claims that a woman was elected
pope (they thought she was a man) and that her true identity was
not discovered until she suddenly, and publicly, gave birth. Often
mentioned by anti-Catholics of modern times (and formerly believed
by some Catholics), this story can be easily disproved, as the
years of her supposed "reign" are all accounted for by
legitimate (male!) popes. Even non-Catholic historians reject the
"Pope Joan" story (or stories, since there is more than
one version of the tale).

A. Yes.
St. Peter was martyred in Rome at the approximate age of 60-63. He was martyred on the same day
that St. Paul was martyred (also in Rome). St. Peter's death was predicted by
Jesus
in Jn. 21:18. Like Jesus, St. Peter was crucified (St.
Peter was crucified upside down, at his own request). St. Peter's Basilica is built over the tomb of St.
Peter, literally
"built on the rock of Peter".

A.
In addition to preserving and protecting doctrine, the Popes have
been responsible for numerous accomplishments in many areas, from
the protection of peoples to the promotion of art and education to
the assistance of the poor and redemption of captives. Even the calendar
used by most of the world today may be traced back to a pope. Note:
For more information on achievements and contributions of the various
popes, try here. Also
try the "Why I
Love Being Catholic" Section.

A.
In addition to the short biographies offered here,
there are many sources of information on the Popes. Unfortunately,
however, there has been much rewriting of history concerning the popes. In fact some modern
biographies seem to be issued by
enemies of the Church rather than by her faithful children. A good
place to begin may be to look for good traditional biographies of
popes. Note that the traditional "Liber Pontificalis"
(Book of the Popes/Pontiffs), although highly criticized by moderns, has
been praised by some for its "great biographies". One
shortcut that may be helpful in evaluating a publication is to
select a few key Popes and compare what is said about each (for
example, modernist biographers may tend to vilify Pope St. Pius X,
the "champion against modernism").

A. The
longest period of vacancy between the death of one pope and the
election of another (sede vacante) occurred in the thirteenth
century. It lasted nearly 3 years and ended with the election of
Bl. Gregory X in 1271.

A.
Over the two thousand year history of the Church, various periods
saw an interregnum of a year or longer. This may have occurred due
to unsafe conditions Rome, instabilities, unrest, etc.
Remember that it hasn't been until recently that there were faxes
or phones or airplanes, so even the news of the death of a pope
was not immediate as it is today.

A.
Throughout history, the Popes (and the papacy) have had many
enemies. Those who dislike the Pope or the papacy are sometimes easily
led to believe certain erroneous, derogatory things
regarding the popes, ranging from insulting comments to
accusations of the Pope being the antichrist himself. While it is
true that the behavior of some popes has been scandalous, it is
also true that the behavior of many has been glorious. This should
come as no surprise since popes are human beings. Christ himself
picked apostles that doubted, betrayed, and denied Him. Enemies of
the Church often use these events as well as other myths,
misunderstandings, errors, or even lies to attack the institution
of the papacy itself. When one looks into their accusations, one
often finds that they are easily disputed, that they are myths or
empty claims, that they are based on errors or misunderstandings
or forgeries, or made up "facts", that no evidence
supports the charges, that the charges do not stand up to careful
examination, etc. Even stories with a kernel of truth are
sometimes twisted to "prove" that the papacy is
"corrupt" or "merely a human institution". We
shouldn't be surprised by this considering the treatment our fully
innocent Lord received and the calumnious accusations he suffered.
Those who reject or hate the papacy may be merely misled - or
perhaps they may be lashing out against the divinely instituted
teaching authority that condemns the lifestyle they wish to lead.
In any case, Catholics should be able to answer some of the common
attacks against the papacy, including those below...

Upside
down cross - Anti-Catholics may point to images of an upside
down cross as "proof" of evil in the Church. In reality,
an upside down cross refers to St. Peter's crucifixion. The first
pope was crucified upside down at his request, in respect for our
Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Vatican
& The seven hills of Rome - Anti-Catholics sometimes point
to Revelation and claim that the "seven hills upon which the woman
sits" (Rv. 17:9) is a reference to the seven hills of Rome,
and therefore to the Vatican, which is situated on Vatican Hill.
While there is a reference to the seven hills of Rome, a quick
review of a map will show that Vatican Hill is not one of the seven hills of Rome. Click
here for a list of the seven
hills. It should be remembered that St. John was writing at a time of
Roman persecution under pagan Rome, and not "Holy Rome" which was not to
triumph until centuries later.

The
Latin title "Vicarius Filii Dei" ("vicar of the Son of God")
is added up to total 666 - The title "Vicar of the Son
of God" is not (and never has been) an official title of the
Pope. Contrary to the claims of some non-Catholics, this title does not appear on a
papal tiara (they have all been photographed). Furthermore, even
if a papal title did add up to 666, this would not prove any kind
of "evil" in the Church. In fact, many names and titles
add up to this number. It is often pointed out that the name of
the female founder of one sect that uses this argument against the
Church itself adds up to 666.

The
Church kept the Bible chained up - It is true that the Church
kept bible "chained up", but this was to protect it, not
keep it from use. Like a pen that is chained at a bank, the
chaining of the Bible was done to ensure that it would not
be taken. At that time, bibles were hard to come by since the printing
press had yet to be invented. In fact, at that time, bibles were quite expensive as they had to be copied by hand, a tedious
process done by monks. Those who use this argument against
the Church demonstrate their ignorance concerning the origins and
preservation of the Bible by the Catholic Church. Had it not been
for the Catholic Church, there would be no Bible. They also
demonstrate their ignorance of history which clearly shows that
the Church brought Holy Scripture to the mostly illiterate people
by means of her preaching, liturgy, and images. Those who argue
that some papal proclamations seem to be against the reading of the
Bible,
fail to mention that the Church has the duty to protect the
faithful against faulty translations of Scripture and dangerous
misinterpretation of the Bible (which was often twisted by
heretics, leading even to loss of life and the endangering of one's
soul). Today's critics of the Church who know anything at all of
the Bible actually owe this knowledge to the Catholic Church; the
very one they criticize for "chaining up" the bible.

Galileo,
Joan of Arc - Often used to attack papal infallibility,
critics of the papacy fail to make the distinction between matters
subject to infallibility, disciplinary measures, etc. Neither the
case of Galileo or Joan of Arc were matters of papal infallibility, and were therefore fallible. In Galileo's case,
the matter involved science and his advancing of unproven theories.
In Joan of Arc's case, she was found to be unfairly condemned, but
her original condemnation was not issued by the Pope (or the Church as a whole). Those same people who criticize the
Pope for these matters might think it illogical to
condemn the president of the United States (or an entire country) because
a particular judge ruled a particular way in a particular case or to
criticize a principal of a respectable school for
curtailing the promotion of unproven scientific theories. [Note:
It should also be noted that the above is a simplified explanation
- both of these cases were much more complicated than indicated.]

Multiple
claimants to the throne - In the past two thousand years,
there have been cases of multiple claimants to the papal throne
(more than one man claiming to be pope). The fact that more than
one man claims the papacy does not mean there is more than one
pope. Even in the twentieth century, multiple claimants existed.
This proves nothing against the Church.

A.
If not for the Pope, the Church would be in chaos, incapable of
unity. There would be
competing dogmas, competing bibles, etc. There would be no
certainty and no supreme authority. If not for papal
infallibility, we would have no certain means of knowing what is
true and what is not. We could have no finality of doctrine and
each person would be left to believe whatever he or she
"felt" was right. As a result, there would be error,
disunity, rejection of truths, adoption of errors, etc. We
wouldn't even have a Bible since there would be no infallible
authority to determine the canon of Scripture. We could never be
sure that our beliefs corresponded with truth, and we could never
be sure we were on the true path leading to salvation. Since the
Church is made up of visible members, is clear that we need a visible
leader. Just as a business or country could not last long without a visible leader, neither could the Church. Since Christ
has ascended to the Father, he wisely left a visible representative
to govern in his name. And, it is clear that to be obedient - as
Scripture commands us to be - the sheep
must recognize the shepherd. Non-Catholics, rejecting the Pope's God-given authority and infallibility in favor of their own
fallible personal judgment, with their resulting divisions and
disunity, unwittingly testify to the need for a pope invested with
divine authority and infallibility. Thankfully, Christ met this
need two thousand years ago when he founded His Church on St.
Peter, the first pope, and promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it.

A.
The Vatican is "[the] official residence of the Pope at Rome,
so named from being built on the lower slopes of the Vatican Hill; figuratively, the name used to signify the papal power and
influence, and by extension, the whole Church." (Catholic
Dictionary). It is considered "the administrative center
and world headquarters of the Catholic Church". It is located
in the independent nation of Vatican City (click
here for more information).

A. Vatican
City (or Vatican City State) is the location of the Vatican. It is an independent nation
("the smallest independent nation state in the world by size
and population"). It is surrounded by Rome, Italy and takes
its name from Vatican Hill, where it is situated. For more information
on Vatican City, click
here.

A. Vatican
II, held in the 1960's, was the 21st ecumenical council.
It imposed unprecedented
changes in many areas of the Catholic Church (including external changes in
the liturgy
and other sacraments), while issuing no infallible dogmatic
definitions. Many liberals praise many of the changes, but
complain that it did not go far enough. Many conservatives and
traditional Catholics point to reduced Mass attendance,
defections from the Church, reduced number of vocations, disbelief
in main tenets of the faith, confusion and
misinformation in the Church, etc. Some say the Council issued a
"new springtime in the Church", a "new
Pentecost", others point to statements such these:

"From
some crevice, the smoke of Satan has entered into the temple of
God...This condition of uncertainty reigns within the Church as
well. After the Second Vatican Council, we believed that the
history of the Church would enjoy a period of sunshine. Instead
the day became ugly, dark, cloudy, and stormy." (Pope Paul
VI, 1972)

"[T]he
opening to the world has become a veritable invasion of the Church
by worldly thinking. We have perhaps been too weak and
imprudent." (Pope Paul VI)

"The
results appear cruelly different from everyone's expectations,
beginning with those of John XXIII and later of Paul VI. A new
Catholic unity was expected; instead, there was a dissention
that...went from self-criticism to self destruction... The
balance, therefore, appears to be negative... It is undeniable
that this period was decidedly unfavorable to the Catholic
Church." (Cardinal Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI,
1984)

A. Divine
Providence seems to have selected Rome for the location of the papacy.
Prior to Christianity, Rome was the "metropolis of the
world". The Roman Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus to death, and
both St. Peter and St. Paul were martyred in Rome. The pagan Roman
empire would eventually fall and be replaced by the Holy Roman
Empire. In fact, the Vatican is literally "built on St.
Peter" (St. Peter's basilica is built directly over the tomb
of St. Peter). As St. Thomas Aquinas has
said, "To manifest his power still more effectively, [Christ] ordained
that the head of his Church should be in Rome itself, the capital of the
world, as a sign of his complete victory and that thence faith should
spread to the whole world". Note that St. Peter, the first pope,
had set up his episcopal chair in Rome years before his martyrdom
there (cf. Acts 12:17, "another place"). Also note that
recent excavations have confirmed the burial location of St. Peter
under the altar at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

A.
Since St. Peter went there, the papacy has always has been in
Rome, except for a period of about
seventy years in the fourteenth century, when the papacy was moved to
Avignon, France. Click here
for more information on the Avignon Papacy

A. Upon
the death of a pope, the Church enters a period of sede
vacante (empty seat) until after a new pope is chosen. The administration
of Church affairs is conducted by cardinals, especially the
Camerlengo. During this time, certain
actions of the Church (e.g. canonizations, infallible proclamations, etc.) can not be conducted. Within a few days
after the pope's death, certain events occur (e.g. Masses,
preparations for a conclave, etc.). Within 15-20 days after the pope's death, all
eligible members of the College of Cardinals meet to elect a new
pope. Note: For more information on this topic, see Vatican
View: Facts "Election
of a Pope" and "Conclave".

A.
A new pope is chosen by the eligible members of the College of
Cardinals in a "conclave" (from the Latin "cum
clave", "with a key"), referring to the locked room in which the Cardinals
elect a pope. For more information on the election of a pope, click
here.

A.
Popes have changed their name upon elevation to the papacy for
about a thousand years. It may signify the "new life" they will
lead as pope as well as their willingness to renounce self. They
may choose a name of a previous pope or saint (or another name).
The first name change connected with the papacy occurred when Christ changed Simon's name to Peter (for "rock").
[Note that name changes
occurring in Scripture were significant (e.g. Simon became Peter, Saul became Paul,
Abram
became Abraham, Jacob became Israel).] In the
6th century, Pope John II changed his name from Mercurius
(Mercury) due to its pagan association and Pope John XIV changed
his name in the 10th century in honor of the first pope (his given
name was Peter). Since the end of the 10th century, it became
common to change one's name upon election to the papacy. Click here
for information on previous names of the Popes.

A. Once
elected, a Pope reigns until his death (in some cases, however,
popes have either abdicated or been overthrown/deposed). Note: Click here
for more information on abdicated / deposed / overthrown popes.

A.
No. Women cannot receive holy orders and can never become Pope. As
Pope John Paul II has stated "The Church has no authority whatsoever to confer
priestly ordination on women…this judgment is to be definitively
held by all the Church's faithful." As for the rumor of a supposed
"Pope Joan", one should be aware that this is a myth
[see above fore more information (click
here)].

A.
No. A 'church' which is not in communion with the Pope can not be
Catholic. Remember that Christ founded His Church, the Catholic
Church, upon St. Peter ["And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it." (Mt. 16:18)], therefore a 'church' which is not
attached to St. Peter is not
part of the Catholic Church. As stated by Pope St. Gregory VII in
the 11th century, "He cannot be accounted a Catholic who does
not agree with the Roman Church." St. Cyprian stated,
"He who abandons the See of Peter on which the Church was
founded, falsely believes himself to be a part of the
Church." And Pope Pius VI confirms, "Attach yourselves
with single-mindedness to the Holy See, for no one can be in the
Church unless he be united to Us, its visible head, and be one
with the chair of Peter." (Click here
for more "Necessity of Union With the Roman Pontiff"
Reflections.) [Note: Although there is only one true Church,
founded by Christ - the Catholic Church - the term 'Church' may
also be applied properly to various components of the Catholic
Church (e.g. church buildings, National Churches, Local Churches,
Church authorities, Church Suffering / Militant / Triumphant,
etc.). These are not independent churches, but refer to certain
parts of the Catholic Church. Non-Catholics often misapply the
term 'church' to denominations or sects which are not properly
called churches. Remember that Christ established just one Church,
the Catholic Church: "(Jesus said,) 'And so I say to you, you
are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the
keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven.'" (Matt. 16:18-19).]

A.
Yes. As confirmed by popes and saints and doctors of the Church,
it is necessary to be subject to the Pope for salvation. As stated
by St. Thomas Aquinas, "To be subject to the Roman Pontiff is
necessary for salvation." As Pope Boniface VIII has
pronounced, "Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define
that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human
creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff." ("Unam
Sanctam", 1302 A.D.) St. Bede the Venerable has stated,
"[B]lessed Peter who confessed Christ with a true faith and
was attached to Him with a true love, received in a special way
the keys of the kingdom of heaven and the primacy of judicial
power, so that all the believers throughout the world might
understand that those who separate themselves from the unity of
his faith and society cannot be absolved from the chains of sin,
nor enter the door of the heavenly kingdom." In 1943, Pope
Pius XII confirmed "They, therefore, walk in the path of
dangerous error who believe that they can accept Christ as the
Head of the Church, while not adhering loyally to His Vicar on
earth. They have taken away the visible head, broken the visible
bonds of unity and left the Mystical Body of the Redeemer so
obscured and so maimed, that those who are seeking the haven of
eternal salvation can neither see it nor find it." Note: Click
here
for more "Necessity of Union With the Roman Pontiff"
Reflections.

A.
Although this terminology is commonly employed, its use is
generally not recommended. While those inside the Church may use
it to show their allegiance to the Roman Pontiff, those outside the
Church have used it to imply that the Catholic Church includes
"Roman Catholics" as well as other so-called churches. However, some argue that
using "Roman Catholic" makes one's true religion more
clear since others who are separated from the Catholic Church have
abrogated the title
Catholic to themselves (e.g. "Old Catholics"). Note that
there is, in reality, only one Catholic Church, simply called the
"Catholic Church". As stated in the dictionary:
"Roman Catholic. A name used by many
English-speaking non-Catholics for members of the Catholic Church,
as a qualification of their exclusive right to be called
Catholics, and the term recognized for use in official and legal
documents. As every Catholic of whatever rite, looks to Rome as the
center of the Church and the seat of the supreme pontiff and head,
the expression in itself is unobjectionable and is in fact
sometimes employed by them, especially in certain countries of
Europe. But its use by Catholics is unnecessary and, having regard
to its connotation for many non-Catholics, sometimes to be
avoided." (Catholic Dictionary) On the other hand, the
Baltimore Catechism acknowledges, "Catholics are called Roman
to show that they are in union with the true Church founded by
Christ and governed by the Apostles under the direction of St.
Peter, by divine appointment the Chief of the Apostles, who
founded the Church of Rome and was its first bishop." [Note: We may use the term "Roman Catholic" on this
site to more clearly communicate that we mean the Catholic Church
under the Roman Pontiff. Our use does not intend to imply that there
is any difference whatsoever between the Roman Catholic Church and the Catholic Church - which are one and the
same - but defers to popular usage. In justification of this use,
consider that those entering a hospital may be wise to list their
religion as "Roman Catholic" rather than
"Catholic" to help ensure that a proper Catholic priest
administers the Sacraments (since those outside the Church may not
be able to distinguish proper "Roman Catholic" priests
from other so called priests calling themselves
"Catholic"). Although this terminology may be employed,
one should note that it may not be a generally recommended
practice of the Church.]

A.
The triple tiara of the Pope (also called Papal tiara, or
Triregnum", or triple crown) is a symbol of the royal authority
of the Pope over Christ's kingdom on earth, the Church. The Papal
tiara is said to date from Pope Clement V. The significance of the
three crowns is commonly tied to the Pope's threefold
power/authority of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling. It
is also said to be significant for the three persons in the Holy
Trinity, as well as the Church Militant (on earth), the Church
Suffering (in purgatory), and the Church Triumphant (in heaven).
Other explanations for the significance of the triple crown
include: (1) the Pope's role as universal pastor, his universal
ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and his temporal power; (2) the Pope as "father of princes and kings, ruler of the world, and vicar of
our Savior Jesus Christ on earth"; (3) the Pope's authority, jurisdiction, and power of
Orders; (4) and the Pope's role as
teacher, lawgiver, and judge. There are actually many
triple tiaras, nearly all covered in jewels. Some were given as
gifts to the Popes throughout the ages. A pope may wear his own
tiara or one given to a previous pope. Traditionally, the popes
received a papal coronation (lately popes have received a less
formal inauguration or 'installation'). Note that the coronation is
symbolic, since the pope does not need to wait for coronation to
be pope, but becomes pope upon
the acceptance of his election (although if he does not have Holy Orders,
he must immediately receive them). It is also a tradition that the
statue of St. Peter is crowed with the triple tiara on the feasts
of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29).

A.
A key is a symbol of authority. The crossed keys in the papal
emblem refer to Christ's promise to St. Peter in Mt. 16:19
("I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.").
The silver key is said to signify the Pope's authority to bind on
earth, while the gold key is said to signify his power to bind
in heaven.

A.
Many Church properties in Rome are emblazoned with bees since it
is the family emblem of Pope Urban III, who completed many building
works during his pontificate. (They may be referred to as the
"Barberini bees", for Maffeo Barberini, who became Pope
Urban III).

A.
Kissing of the Pope's ring [or his papal slippers - the "fancy
red and gold papal slippers" (red is symbolic for martyr's
blood)] is a traditional sign of
respect and honor accorded to the Pope, Christ's Vicar on earth
("Those who
have the opportunity of kissing the Holy Father's ring considerer it
to be a great honor").

A. The
Avignon Papacy refers to the period of time in the 14th century
(1309-1377) where the papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon
France. Pope Clement V moved the papacy under imperial pressure, beginning
the seventy year 'Babylonian Captivity' (referring to Israel's
exile) which lasted until the papacy was returned to Rome by Pope
Gregory XI on January 17, 1377. There were a total of 7 Popes
during this period: Pope Clement V, Pope John XXII (XXI), Pope
Benedict XII, Pope Clement VI, Pope Innocent VI, Pope Bl. Urban V,
and Pope Gregory XI.

A.
As stated in canon law, "The First See is judged by no
one." (1917 Can. 1556, 1983 Can. 1404). The pope has no
earthly judge. As St. Catherine of Siena said to Pope Gregory XI
in the fourteenth century, "Take care that I do not have to
complain about you to Jesus crucified. There is no one else I can
complain to, for you have no superior on earth." Although the
pope has no earthly judge, the pope is human and will be judged
like the rest of us by Our Lord. [Note: This is not to preclude
the possibility of a pope being judged by a succeeding pope or a
future council (with the approval of a succeeding pope) as demonstrated
by Church history.]

A.
By the end of the 20th century, papal reigns had ranged from just
a few days to over 30 years. As many as 26 Popes
reigned for about 6 months or less, about 37 reigned from 2-4
years, and about 41 reigned 14 years or more by the end of the
20th century. Note: Click here
for more information on papacy lengths.

A.
To have articles (e.g. rosaries, appropriate holy images, etc.)
blessed by the Pope, they should be brought to one of his public appearances.
At the close of his appearance, he may impart a blessing on the
articles brought for that purpose. Applicable items brought for
his blessing should be held in one's hand.

A.
It is unlikely that a lay person will obtain a personal audience
with the Pope. The Pope does, however, have general audiences that
may be attended by lay persons. For assistance, contact your
diocese or consult the Vatican. Note that it may be possible to
submit your request to attend online (try the Catholic
Web Links section)

Note:
Categories are subjective and may overlap. For more items
related to this topic, please review all applicable
categories.

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